title: A fresh look at the origin of Plasmodium falciparum, the most malignant malaria agent.
abstract: From which host did the most malignant human malaria come: birds, primates, or rodents? When did the transfer occur? Over the last half century, these have been some of the questions up for debate about the origin of Plasmodium falciparum, the most common and deadliest human malaria parasite, which is responsible for at least one million deaths every year. Recent findings bring elements in favor of a transfer from great apes, but are these evidences really solid? What are the grey areas that remain to be clarified? Here, we examine in depth these new elements and discuss how they modify our perception of the origin and evolution of P. falciparum. We also discuss the perspectives these new discoveries open.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire MIVEGEC (UM1-CNRS-IRD), Montpellier, France. franck.prugnolle@ird.fr
authors.forename: Franck
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Prugnolle
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Durand
authors.forename: Benjamin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ollomo
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Duval
authors.forename: Frédéric
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ariey
authors.forename: Céline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Arnathau
authors.forename: Jean-Paul
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Gonzalez
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Leroy
authors.forename: François
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Renaud
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild / Q000469:parasitology; D005075:Biological Evolution; D006801:Humans; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000235:genetics / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000635:transmission; D002679:Pan troglodytes / Q000469:parasitology; D010802:Phylogeny; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000235:genetics*; D011529:Protozoan Infections, Animal / Q000235:genetics / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000635:transmission; D015047:Zoonoses / Q000469:parasitology / Q000635:transmission